A vitamin or mineral the body needs only in small amounts but cannot function without, deficiency in which remains a major cause of preventable disease worldwide even where macronutrient intake is adequate. Food fortification programs exist specifically to close micronutrient gaps at population scale.
Facts
First Described Year First Described EraFirst recorded in 1939, per the Merriam-Webster dictionary entry First Known Use field. 1 Concept Class Connections
Associated With
Fortification is the addition of micronutrients to a food supply.
Source United States National Institutes of Health Official Site
Source United States National Institutes of Health Official Site
Macronutrient, Concepts Paired classification: nutrients needed in large amounts versus small amounts.
Source United States National Institutes of Health Official Site
Vitamin A is a micronutrient; supplementation programs are a direct application of the concept.
Source United States National Institutes of Health Official Site
Developed By
Source Encyclopedia Britannica
In Branch
Source United States National Institutes of Health Official Site
Sources
1. Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Merriam-Webster, IncorporatedFirst Known Use sectionQuote, First Known Use section
1939, in the meaning defined above
2. United States National Institutes of Health Official Site
US National Institutes of HealthNIH News in Health, Breaking Down Food, August 2023
Your body needs only small amounts of each micronutrient. But they are critical for healthy development and disease prevention.
- Associated With: Macronutrient
- In Branch: Nutrition Science
- Associated With: Vitamin A Supplementation
- Associated With: Food Fortification
View the Source Encyclopedia Britannica
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